Need Help!!!!

I just graduated college with a BA in Business Admin. and now I want to pursue a career in the fire service. I am a volunteer firefighter in the St Louis area and I am going back to school in Jan. for EMT-B. After that it will be on to paramedic school. What I need help with is, what can I do in the meanwhile to make myself a better canidate when the time comes for my testing and interview? Also, does anyone know when the next Fire Academy will be held for St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Charles County? Thank you for your time and patience!

Go by the county academy and talk with Betty, last I heard they were running low on the lottery and may be opening it back up somehow.
Seems like your on the right track since very few will accept you without the P behind the EMT.

I agree with batt403, without the medic cert your chances are slim at best. You could have a PhD in Physics from Yale, if you don't have the medic cert from the state, you can't even get an app most places.

My advice,

Get your EMT ASAP, get a job FT or PT at Abbott, Christian or SCCAD, and apply at the county academy, and take any test you are eligible for in the mean time.

I have a BS in Fire Science from CMSU, it is worth as much as the paper it is printed on without the paramedic license. The medic cert has given me every opportunity I have had in the fire service, the degree looks nice hanging on my wall though lol.

Boy, FHandz15 hit that so square it's not even funny. I beleive in education 100% and it will help out later down the road, but to get in the door you have to have the P. I've been in the county for over 4 years and everything I did before that was of no substance to the county departments.

Not sure about the EMT online course, I'm sure it will.
The county fire academy will only give you your Missouri Certification as Firefighter I & II, it does not cover the EMT.
Here is the catch with the county academy, you can already have your state firefighter I & II and you still have to go to the academy and you come out with nothing more than what you had going into it.

With the online class you do work online and then come to campus to do some hands on things. It is new to the college district so I can't tell you much more than that but Chuck (the instructor) is nice from what I've heard so you can contact him for more information. You can also take the class as a regular on campus class at any of the campuses (Florissant Valley, Forest Park, Meramec, and the satellite campuses).

Hey Im a FF In Baghdad Iraq right now but I come back in March. At home I work with Warrenton. Im looking at STL for a job an I'll do whatever it takes to get on but do you know anything about East St Louis fire dept. I got an application from them last week.